Puppet assembly

ABSTRACT

In a puppet assembly, a head connector, upper limb connectors, and lower limb connectors are respectively coupled to an upper end, two sides, and a lower end of an inner layer of a puppet. The head connector is coupled with a head of the puppet in tight fit, and the upper and lower limb connectors are respectively coupled with upper and lower limbs of the puppet in tight fit, thereby permitting change of heads and upper and lower limbs of different forms for the puppet. The head connector has a lower end provided with an opening for extension of a finger to manipulate the head. The head connector and the upper and lower limb connectors have end portions provided with through holes to permit escape of air during assembly to the head or fitting into recesses in the upper and lower limbs to thereby facilitate assembly, and to permit extension of strings therethrough to permit manipulation of the head and the upper and lower limbs of the puppet.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0001] 1. Field of the Invention

[0002] The invention relates to a puppet assembly, more particularly to an improvement upon the assembly of the head, upper and lower limbs and costume of a puppet used in a puppet show so that the upper and lower limbs of the puppet can be easily changed to thereby reduce costs of making puppets of different forms and manipulation of the puppet can be more smooth, thereby enhancing the added values thereof.

[0003] 2. Description of the Prior Art

[0004] Puppet shows is Taiwan's traditional entertainment, and the traditional puppets are works of art. A traditional puppet includes a head, upper and lower limbs, and costume. The costume further includes an inner layer, and an outer layer, which is a formal and ornate surface layer. The head and upper and lower limbs are respectively secured at an upper end, two sides, and a lower end of the inner layer, and the inner layer is then covered by the surface layer.

[0005] In the traditional puppet, the head and the upper and lower limbs are assembled to the inner layer by using stitches to directly sew them in position. This, however, limits the overall form of the puppet. If it is required by the story to have different sets of puppets of different forms, and different forms of puppets have to be changed according to the scenes, the costs of making the puppets are very high, which is detrimental to maintaining the traditional arts. Therefore, the present invention is directed to eliminating the problem associated with the fixed connection between the body and costume of the traditional puppet.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0006] The primary object of the present invention is to provide a puppet assembly in which the head and the upper and lower limbs of a puppet are configured to be detachable from a puppet costume. The costume has a plurality of connectors provided thereon. The connectors are removably coupled to the head and the upper and lower limbs of the puppet to permit easy change of the head and the upper and lower limbs, thereby enabling the puppet to have many forms.

[0007] Another object of the invention is to provide a puppet assembly, which permits easy change of limbs of the puppet. The limbs of the puppet have strings extended therethrough to facilitate smooth manipulation of the limbs of the puppet.

[0008] Accordingly, the puppet assembly of the invention includes a head connector, upper limb connectors, and lower limb connectors respectively coupled to an upper end, two sides, and a lower end of an inner layer of a puppet. The head connector is coupled with a head of the puppet in tight fit, and the upper and lower limb connectors are respectively coupled with upper and lower limbs of the puppet in tight fit, thereby permitting change of heads and upper and lower limbs of different forms for the puppet. The head connector has a lower end provided with an opening for extension of a finger to manipulate the head. The head connector and the upper and lower limb connectors have end portions provided with through holes to permit escape of air during assembly to the head or fitting into recesses in the upper and lower limbs to thereby facilitate assembly, and to permit extension of strings therethrough to permit manipulation of the head and the upper and lower limbs of the puppet.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0009] The foregoing and other features and advantages of the present invention will be more clearly understood from the following detailed description and the accompanying drawings, in which,

[0010]FIG. 1 is an exploded plan view of a preferred embodiment of a puppet assembly according to the present invention, illustrating a puppet costume having a plurality of connectors that are connectable with a head, upper limbs and lower limbs of the puppet;

[0011]FIGS. 2 and 2a are respectively front sectional and plan top views of the head connector according to the invention;

[0012]FIGS. 3 and 3a are respectively front sectional and plan top views of another embodiment of the head connector according to the invention;

[0013]FIG. 4 is a perspective view of an upper limb connector of the preferred embodiment;

[0014]FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a lower limb connector of the preferred embodiment;

[0015]FIG. 6 is a plan sectional view of the preferred embodiment, showing the head connector and the head in an assembled state;

[0016]FIG. 7 is a plan sectional view of the preferred embodiment, showing the upper limb connector and the upper limb in an assembled state;

[0017]FIG. 8 is a plan sectional view of the preferred embodiment, showing the lower limb connector and the lower limb in an assembled state; and

[0018]FIGS. 9 and 9a are respectively top and front plan sectional views of the sleeve.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

[0019] Referring to FIG. 1, a puppet assembly according to the invention includes a costume 1, a head connector 2, two upper limb connectors 3, two lower limb connectors 4, a head 5, two upper limbs 6 and two lower limbs 7. The costume further includes an inner layer 11 and an outer layer, which is formal and ornate. The head connector 2 is coupled to an upper end of the inner layer 11. Referring to FIGS. 2 and 2a, the head connector 2 is a hollow conical tubular body with a relatively narrow upper end and a relatively wide lower end. The lower end of the tubular body is provided with a flange 21. The part of the tubular body above the flange 21 has a section of parallel surface D (that is the non-conical surface) of a suitable length. The flange 21 has a suitably sized projection 23. The lower end of the tubular body has an opening 20 for extension of a finger. The upper end of the head connector 2 is provided with a through hole 22. When the head connector 2 is fitted into a hole formed in an upper end of the inner layer 11, a string is used to tie the inner layer 11 at the flange 21 to couple and secure the head connector 2 at the inner layer 11. The opening 20 in the lower end of the head connector 2 is communicated with the interior of the inner layer 11. FIGS. 2 and 2a shows that the cross section of the tubular body of the head connector 2 is elliptical (can be non-circular). It can also be circular as shown in FIGS. 3 and 3a.

[0020] The upper limb connectors 3 are provided to couple to the two sides of the inner layer 11. As shown in FIG. 4, each upper limb connector 3 includes a fitting portion 32 and a base 31 that are coupled together. The fitting portion 32 can couple fittingly with an independent tightening sleeve 62. In addition, the outer surface of the base 31 is provided with an annular groove 311, which is provided with a plurality of through holes 312. A through hole 33 is provided to extend through the base 31 and the fitting portion 32. When the upper limb connector 3 is fitted into a hole pre-formed in a lateral side of the inner layer 11, a string is used to tie the inner layer 11 at the annular groove 311. During the course of winding the string around the annular groove 311, the string can be extended through the through holes 312 in the annular groove 311 according to actual requirements to thereby couple and secure the upper limb connector 3 at the inner layer 11.

[0021] The lower limb connectors 4 are provided to couple to the lower end of the inner layer 11. As shown in FIG. 5, each lower limb connector 4 has a fitting portion 42 and a base 41 that are coupled together. The fitting portion 42 can be coupled fittingly with an independent tightening sleeve 72. In addition, the outer surface of the base 41 is provided with an annular groove 411, which is provided with a plurality of through holes 412. A through hole 43 is provided to extend through the base 41 and the fitting portion 42. When the lower limb connector 4 is fitted into a hole pre-formed in a lower end of the inner layer 11, a string is used to tie the inner layer 11 at the annular groove 411. During the course of winding the string around the annular groove 411, the string can be extended through the through holes 412 in the annular groove 411 according to actual requirements to thereby couple and secure the lower limb connector at the inner layer 11.

[0022] In order to match the aforementioned head connector 2 and the upper and lower limb connectors 3, 4, the head 5 and upper and lower limbs 6, 7 of the puppet of the invention have to be specially designed. A lower end of the head 5 is connected to a sleeve 51 for receiving the head connector 2 in tight fit. As shown in FIGS. 9 and 9a, a preferred embodiment of the sleeve 51 is shown to have an inner periphery corresponding to an inner cone of the surface cone of the head connector 2, and has an inner wall surface, which is proximate to the lower end opening, formed with parallel inner surfaces. Furthermore, the inner wall of the sleeve 5 is provided with a plurality of ribs 512 (see FIGS. 9 and 9a). The outer periphery of the sleeve 51 is fitted with at least one elastic band 24 such that when the head connector 2 is fitted into the sleeve 51, the configuration of the cone can assist in smooth assembly. Besides, by virtue of the matching parallel surfaces D, a first stage of tight fit can be achieved. The ribs 512 that contact the outer surface of the head connector 2 achieve a second stage of tight fit. In addition, after the head connector 2 is fitted into the sleeve 51, the elastic band 24 serves to tighten around the sleeve 51 to provide a third stage of tight fit with respect to the head connector 2. Moreover, the through hole 22 formed in the end portion of the head connector 2 is provided to enable smooth escape of air from within the head connector 2 after the head connector 2 is fitted into the sleeve 51 so that the head connector 2 can be completely fitted into sleeve 51. When it is necessary to change for a head of a different form, the head 5 can be pulled out with the application of a slight force. The end portion of the sleeve 51 is also provided with a through hole to permit extension of strings to control the eyes, nose, etc., of the puppet.

[0023] In order to prevent relative rotation between the head connector 2 and the sleeve 51 after they are coupled, the tubular body of the head connector 2 is configured to have an elliptical or non-circular cross section, and the inner periphery of the sleeve 51 is also configured to have a corresponding cross section so that the head connector 2 can be fitted into the sleeve 51 while prevented from relative rotation therewith.

[0024] The cross section of the head connector 2 and the inner periphery of the sleeve 51 can also be configured to have a circular shape as shown in FIG. 3. However, in order to prevent relative rotation between the head connector 2 and the sleeve 51 after assembly, at least one notch 511 is formed at an opening end edge of the sleeve 51 to corresponding to the projection 23 provided on the head connector 2 such that after the head connector 2 is fitted into the sleeve 51, the projection 23 can engage the notch 511 to provide a limiting function, thereby preventing relative rotation between the head connector 2 and the sleeve 51.

[0025] Furthermore, the tightening sleeves 62, 72 are formed from elastic materials (such as plastic and rubber) such that after the tightening sleeves 62, 72 are respectively fitted into recesses 61 formed in the end portions of the upper and lower limbs 6, 7, and after the fitting portions 32, 42 are respectively fitted into the tightening sleeves 62, 72, the fitting portions 32, 42 can be coupled substantially fittingly to the upper and lower limbs 6, 7. When it is necessary to change for upper and lower limbs of different forms, the upper and lower limbs 6, 7 can be pulled out with a little force.

[0026] Although the present invention has been illustrated and described with reference to the preferred embodiment thereof, it should be understood that it is in no way limited to the details of such embodiment but is capable of numerous modifications within the scope of the appended claims. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A puppet assembly, comprising: a head connector disposed to couple and upper end of a puppet, said head connector being a hollow tubular body with a relatively narrow upper end and a relatively broad lower end and having a non-circular cross section, said lower end of said tubular body having an opening adapted for extension of a finger, and an outer surface provided with a suitably long parallel surface; a head having a lower end coupled with a sleeve, said sleeve having an inner periphery which corresponds to shape of said cross section of said head connector and which has a surface provided with a plurality of ribs, said inner periphery being provided with a suitably long parallel inner surface proximate to an opening thereof, said sleeve having an outer periphery fitted with an elastic band to provide tight fit after insertion of said head connector into said sleeve; two upper limb connectors disposed to couple to two sides of the puppet, each of said upper limb connectors having a fitting portion and a base, said fitting portion being fitted into a tightening sleeve; two upper limbs each having a recess for receiving said tightening sleeve in tight fit; two lower limb connectors coupled to a lower end of the puppet, each of said lower limb connectors having a fitting portion and a base, said fitting portion of said lower limb connector being fitted into a tightening sleeve; two lower limbs each having a recess for receiving said tightening sleeve of said lower limb connector in tight fit.
 2. The puppet assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein said cross section of said head connector is circular, said head connector having an outer wall surface provided with a projection, said cross section of said inner periphery of said sleeve being circular to corresponding to said cross section of said head connector, said opening of said sleeve being an end edge provided with a notch corresponding to said projection such that said projection can engage said notch when said head connector is fitted into said sleeve.
 3. The puppet assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein said base of each of said upper limb connectors is provided with an annular groove such that a string can be used to tie an inner layer of the puppet around said annular groove.
 4. The puppet assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein said base of each of said lower limb connectors is provided with an annular groove such that a string can be used to tie an inner layer of the puppet around said annular groove thereof.
 5. The puppet assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein said upper end of said head connector and said sleeve is provided with a through hole.
 6. The puppet assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein said upper limb connectors are each provided with a through hole that extends through said fitting portion and said base thereof.
 7. The puppet assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein said lower limb connectors are each provided with a through hole that extends through said fitting portion and said base thereof. 